What Is the Strongest Dog Breed?

Throughout history there's been a lot of debate over which dog breed is the strongest, without ever reaching a definitive answer, since picking one really depends on whether you mean physical strength, endurance, or bite pressure.

So to avoid confusion, we've put together a short roundup of the strongest, toughest dogs, based on qualities like bite power, physical strength, and endurance.

You'll be surprised to learn that some well-known breeds, like the Pit Bull, don't actually top this fascinating list.

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The Strongest Breed Based on Bite Force

Far from what many people might believe, the dog breed with the strongest bite in the world isn't the American Pit Bull Terrier, nor any other catch dog — by a wide margin, it's a breed we all know for its excellent guard-dog skills.

The Rottweiler is, by a wide margin, the strongest dog in the world when it comes to bite power and pressure. The Rottweiler exerts about 150 kg per square centimeter of pressure when it closes its jaws.

Second place goes to the Mastiff, a cross first made in ancient times by the Egyptians, encompassing both the Dogue and the so-called Greek Molosser. The Mastiff exerts about 145 kg per square centimeter of pressure when closing its jaws.

Third place goes to the well-known German Shepherd, which has an even higher bite pressure than the American Pit Bull Terrier or the American Staffordshire Terrier, catch dogs reputed to have the most aggressive bite precisely because of their type. The German Shepherd exerts about 110 kg per square centimeter of bite pressure.

The Strongest Breed Based on Strength and Endurance

Setting bite pressure aside and looking instead at a dog's body strength and physical endurance, the rankings for the strongest breed shift quite a bit — now it's the most heavily built dogs that take the top spots.

The Tibetan Mastiff, weighing around seventy kilos, is the strongest, toughest dog on the planet. It's a large, intelligent, protective molosser that at first glance could easily pass for a lion.

Second place in the ranking of the world's strongest dogs goes to the Bullmastiff, a breed native to the United Kingdom that can reach ninety kilos as an adult. Calm and docile in temperament, it's also a great guard dog — highly protective and brave.

The German Dogue, also known as the Great Dane, takes third place in the ranking of strongest dogs, though its spot is contested by the gigantic Caucasian Shepherd. At close to ninety kilos as an adult, it's one of the most powerful dogs on the planet. Its temperament is friendly and loving, but when it comes to protecting its own... it has few rivals.

These breeds don't have the strongest bite, but they are the strongest physically, as well as the most enduring.

Where Do Pit Bulls Rank?

In reality, Pit Bull Terriers aren't the strongest physically, nor do they have the most powerful bite. It's the bad reputation pushed by a lot of media outlets, combined with urban legends, that gives this breed its poor image.

The APBT (American Pit Bull Terrier) has a bite pressure of about 106 kg per square centimeter when closing its jaw, putting it well behind the Rottweiler, Mastiff, or German Shepherd.

In terms of physical strength and endurance, the Pit Bull isn't the most powerful dog either — topping out around thirty kilos as an adult, it's nowhere near the strongest or toughest. Surprised? When you dig a little into dog power, both physically and in bite pressure, you find some pretty surprising revelations.